Niceville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Niceville
Destin
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
51 · Top 49%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 13%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 49%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Schools
79 · Top 14%
vs74 · Top 22%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs87 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Niceville | Destin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,544 | 14,077 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $102,409 | $89,011 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,001 | $60,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,149/sq mi | 1,878/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $423,500 | $490,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,749 | $1,936 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.6% | 69.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 46.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 72 | 67 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 4.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | 31.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.4" | 55.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 41.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.79 | 18.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 81.2% | 72.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 77.6% | 65.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.3% | 38.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Niceville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Destin
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Niceville, FL · Destin, FL · How this is calculated: methodology